Let’s go to Poikilo!
“It surprises you. Gets you thinking. Calms you down. The place brings a smile to your face!”
The only art museum in Kymenlaakso
Within walking distance from the town centre, the beautiful Museum Quarter is something special. Inside it lies the only art museum in Kymenlaakso; Poikilo. A space where people meet art that makes an impression, stirs the emotions and gives you something to think about – as art should.
Art and architecture in one visit
The building, designed by Erkki Valovirta in the 1980s, is a Finnish post-modern architectural gem. It’s easy to fall in love with the art museum interior, which reminds one of a church, with its dignity and tall columns. Inside, you can relax for a moment, enjoy the silence, and soak up the atmosphere. Exhibitions at the art museum change three times a year.
Now, until September 22, the Poikilo Gallery has an exhibition: The Housing Broblem. Alvar Aaltos housing architectureThe architect Alvar Aalto’s wide-ranging, multifaceted output also included designs for apartments. The exhibition brings to light early classical wooden villas of the 1920s, streamlined functionalist dwellings of the 1930s, along with standardized houses of the post-war period of reconstruction and also the unique artist’s homes of later decades.
The museum houses the Kouta Gallery, which has its own exhibitions of works of local artists. The small Poikilo Gallery is available for hire and also displays a new exhibition every month.
Stay just a little longer
In the Poikilo Museum shop, you can buy local handicraft and design products, as well as books on art and cultural history. Why not stop for a coffee in the Sävel Bistro? Local history enthusiasts can also pop in to the Poikilo City Museum which is under the same roof. You can buy a combined ticket to the museums, or enjoy free entry with the Finnish Museum Card.